Bulgaria
is located in Southeast Europe, in the northeast part of the Balkan Peninsula.
Its territory is located between 44°13’ and 41°14’ north latitude, 22°22’ and
28°37’ east longitude. It is a European, Balkan, Black Sea and Danube country.
This geographic location places it on the crossroad between Europe, Asia and
Africa.

Bulgaria
is situated closer to the Equator than the pole. It falls within the southern
part of the temperate climate zone with subtropical influence. Its location on
the transition line between two climate zones influences the climate, soils,
vegetation and animal species. All of them are characterized by great
diversity. The country’s geographic position also determines the relatively
wide angle of sunlight that falls on the country, making the country
predominantly sunny. The official time in Bulgaria is Eastern European Time,
which is two hours ahead of Greenwich Time. The Black and the Aegean Sea also
influence the country’s climate. The influence of the Mediterranean is
extensive for the climate in the southern parts of the country, while the Black
Sea influences the climate over an area extending some 40 km inland, supporting
diverse flora and fauna. The Danube River is important for the country, both
with regard to water resources and for species diversity. Bulgaria’s favorable
geographic location creates excellent preconditions for the development of
tourism.

Bulgaria
is also a transport crossroad, affording access to Western Europe, the Near
East and the Middle East, and the Mediterranean. A series of major European
transport corridors pass through Bulgaria. These corridors include the
international highways that connect Western and Central Europe the Near East
and the Middle East (through Beograd to Sofia and Svilengrad), including
connections to Baghdad and Basra on the Persian Bay; from the Baltic Sea to the
Aegean Sea (from Moscow to Kiev, Bucharest, Ruse, and Stara Zagora to
Thessaloniki) and to the Adriatic Sea (from Sofia through Skopje to Drach).
Another important transport route is the road from Constanta to Varna, Burgas,
Tsarevo, Malko Tarnovo and Istanbul. Bulgaria is also connected to the
Trans-European networks that lead from Berlin to Prague, Budapest, Sofia,
Thessaloniki, and Istanbul and from Durres to Tirana, Skopje, and Sofia to the
Black Sea ports of Varna and Burgas. These transport corridors are also
serviced by rail. Bulgaria’s Black Sea ports connect with all other countries
that border the Black Sea countries, offering particularly excellent
opportunities for the development of transport through the large bays that
front Burgas and Varna. Along the Danube River the country connects with the
transport corridor that leads to the Rhine and the network of waterways that
crisscross Western Europe.

Bulgaria has
a temperate-continental climate with moderate features which is characteristic
for Central Europe, with hot summers, long, cold winters and very distinct
seasons. Abundant snowfalls may occur throughout the country from
December to mid-March, especially if you are in the mountainous areas of
Bulgaria.

The annual average temperature depends on latitude
and ranges from 8°C in the North and 11°C in the South, with temperatures of
2.6°C in the mountains and 12°C in the plains. In general, the warmest areas
are in the southern districts of bulgaria, influenced by the nearby
mediterranean sea. Daytime temperatures vary from 0-5°C in the winter
and 25-30°C in summer months. In the southern areas it can be warmer, in the
northern and eastern mountainous districts of Balkan mountains it can
be cooler with moderate daytime temperatures and cool nights in the
summer and temperatures far below zero in the winter.

Annual average rainfall is about 700 mm, more in themountains (up
to 1000 mm and more) and less on the coast (around 400-600 mm). It can
rain throughout the year; in general, winter is the driest season. In summer,
showers and thunderstorms are common, especially in the mountains.

Required
clothing:
Lightweights are worn in summer on the coast and in low inland areas. Warmer
clothes are needed in winter and throughout the year in the uplands. Rainwear
is recommended throughout the year.

NATURE

The
natural landscape of Bulgaria is diverse, consisting of lowlands, plains,
foothills and plateaus, river valleys, basins, and mountains of varying
elevations. About 70% of the country’s territory is hilly land and 30% is
mountainous. The average elevation of the country’s territory is 467 m,
generally decreasing from south to north and from west to east.

In
the central part of the country lies the Balkan Mountain Range, where the
highest peak is Botev (2,376 m). From south to north, its western area is
crossed by the Iskar River, which forms a picturesque gorge more than 70 km
long. The northern arm of the Balkan Mountains is mainly karst. The highest
peak in this range is Vasilyov (1,490 m).

To
the south of the Balkan Mountains are the western Balkan valleys and the
Srednogorie (central mountainous region). The largest valley in the southern
arm of the Balkans is the Sofia valley, the location of the Bulgarian capital
Sofia. The mountains in the Srednogorie are the Zavalsko-Planska Range, the
Ihtimansko Srednogorie, the Sashtinska Sredna Gora, and the Sarnena Gora.

Between
the northern arm of the Balkans and the Danube River lies the Danube valley,
with an area of roughly 31,000 square meters. Its eastern part consists of
plateaus – the Dobrudzha plateau, the Plovadia plateau, the Lilyak plateau, and
the Shumen plateau, among others. To the north lie the Trans-Danube lowlands,
which occupy the terraces of the Danube river.

To
the south of the capital Sofia rises the mountain Vitosha, whose highest peak
is Cherni Vrah (2,290 m). Its foothills extend to the middle part of western
Bulgaria, where low-lying and medium-elevation mountains alternate, such as
Ruy, Milevska, Zemenska, Konyavska, Verila, and others. West of the Struma
River valley and south of Kraishteto is the Osogovo-Belasishka mountain range,
which includes the peaks of Osogovska (Mount Ruen, 2,251 m), Vlahinska,
Maleshevska, Ograzhden and Belasitsa (Mount Radomir, 2,029 m).

The
highest Bulgarian mountains are in the Rila and Pirin ranges, situated to the
east of the Struma River valley. The average elevation of these mountains is
1,258 m, and 60% of their area is higher than 1,000 m. In Rila there are 31
peaks with an altitude of over 2,600 m. The highest peak on the Balkan
Peninsula, Musala (2,925 m), is located there.
There are two peaks of over 2,600 m elevation in the Pirin range. One is Mount
Vihren (2,914 m) – the second highest peak in Bulgaria and the third highest
peak on the Balkan Peninsula. Beautiful alpine glacial lakes have formed in the
circuses of these peaks.

The
Rhodope Mountains are located to the east of the Mesta River valley and Rila.
There are 11 peaks with an elevation of over 2,000 m there, the highest of
which is Golyam Perelik (2,191 m). The many natural landmarks – caves,
waterfalls, and alpine lakes – attract scores of tourists every year.

Between
the Srednogorie, Rila, Rhodope and Black Sea are the Gornotrakiyska Lowlands,
the Haskovo Foothills, the middle Tundzha river valley, the Burgas Lowlands and
the Strandzha and Sakar mountain ranges. The eastern parts of the country
border on the Black Sea, where beaches covering hundreds of kilometers attract
Bulgarian and foreign tourists.

Bulgaria
is the second most biologically diverse nation in Europe. There are more than
12,360 plant species, 3,700 of which are higher species. Of these, 763 are
included in the Red Book of Bulgaria, which lists rare or endangered species.
About 750 plant types have been registered as medicinal, and 70% of these are
economically valuable. The country exports about 15,000 tons of herbs each
year. The forested areas amount to about four million hectares, which is 36.85%
of the territory of the country. Of the deciduous broad-leaved forests, the
most widespread are oak and beech. The oak forests are in areas up to an
elevation of 1,000 meters, and the beech forests are mainly in the country’s
central mountain ranges. Dense forests have developed at the lower reaches of
the rivers Batova, Kamchiya, Ropotamo and Veleka. Natural coniferous forests
are found in areas up to 2,200 meters above sea level, and are the most widely
spread in the Rhodope Mountains. They mainly consist of spruce, fir and white
pine. Black fir grows in the Slavyanka and Pirin Mountains, and white fir grows
in the Central Balkans, the West Rhodope, the Middle Pirin, Rila, and Vitosha.

There
are 27,000 species of invertebrate fauna in Bulgaria, and more than 750 species
of vertebrates. Of these, 397 are birds, 207 are fresh-water and Black Sea
fish, 94 are mammals, and 52 are amphibians and reptiles. Seven zoological
regions are recognized throughout the country, four of which are in the
Mediterranean climatic zone. Bulgaria is home to European, Euro-Siberian and
Mediterranean flora and fauna, and the Mediterranean climate has strongly
influenced the development of many species. The cave fauna in Bulgaria consists
of more than 100 species. The Black Sea fish populations attract both sport and
industrial fishing.

Three
national parks have been established in the country: Pirin National Park (a
UNESCO natural heritage site), Rila National Park, and the Central Balkans
National Park. There are also 11 nature reserves – Belasitsa, Balgarka, Vratsa
Balkan, Golden Sands, Persina, Rila Monastery, Rusenski Lom, Sinite Kamani,
Strandzha and the Shumen Plateau.

LANGUAGE

The official language of Bulgaria is Bulgarian which is spoken by all
the population. Bulgarian uses the Cyrillic alphabet as opposed to the Roman
alphabet commonly used in Western Europe.

The
Bulgarian language is related to Serbian, Russian and other Eastern European
languages, but contains many international words. Bulgarians use the Cyrillic
alphabet which can make the task of getting around the country somewhat
difficult if you aren't familiar with this alphabet as most signs are written
in it. However, getting acquainted with the alphabet isn't very difficult and
may save you a lot of trouble, especially as many common words are homophones
of English or French words.

Also,
as Bulgarian education emphasizes foreign language studies, especially English
language, it wouldn't be a problem to talk and find information in English in
bigger cities. It's best to turn to the young population for a direction or an
advice.

In tourist areas almost all the local population will speak fluent English,
additionally many menus, forms etc. will also be translated due to the number
of visitors to these areas.

Due
to its history and similarity, Russian is widely understood and spoken by
Bulgarians, particularly amongst the older generation. Other languages that are
common include French; Greek, Serbian and Turkish.

CURRENCY

The
monetary unit in the Republic of Bulgaria is the lev (BGN), which is equal to
100 stotinki (st.). Since 1997, the country has been governed by a currency
board and the value of the lev has been pegged to the Euro, at a fixed rate of
1 EUR – 1.95583 BGN.

You
can find current currency information on the site of the Bulgarian National
Bank: www.bnb.bg.

Currency
can be exchanged in banks or in any of the country’s many currency exchange
offices. Some of these exchange offices also work on holidays. Euro-cheques can
be exchanged in banks.

Credit
cards: Most Bulgarian hotels and stores now accept VISA, MasterCard, American
Express, and Diners Club credit cards.

COST OF
LIVING

The cost of living is quite low compared with other European countries.
For example some costs for breakfast & dinner can start around 10 leva, which
are around 3.00 GBP. Bulgaria is also renowned for the excellent
quality of its wine and is a major exporter of wine to Europe. Beer
is also lower in price, the brewed ones in Bulgaria as well as
imported.

Tourism is a key component in the Bulgarian economy with 3 million
tourists visiting Bulgaria last year. The advantage of the low
cost of living compared to with other big cities is a major point for
attracting people to Bulgaria along with its lifestyle.

From a tourism perspective, the most popular destinations are along the
coastline, the Ski resorts and the Spa & Wellness resorts. The Black Sea
Coast is dominated by the larger more successful summer resorts such as those
at Sunny Beach, Pomorie, Sozopol, St. Vlas, Albena and Balchik, which are
serviced by two main airports at Bourgas and Varna.
The mountain destinations have grown in popularity substantially in recent
years, the most successful one being at Bansko, the other two main Skiing
resorts being Borovets and Pamporovo. Skiing is also
available in Sofia on Vitosha Mountain.